


Therapy

by MiniNephthys



Category: Shin Megami Tensei, Shin Megami Tensei II, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner, Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne, Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-05
Updated: 2012-06-05
Packaged: 2017-11-06 23:41:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/424497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiniNephthys/pseuds/MiniNephthys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Group therapy for protagonists.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Therapy

"Have any of you ever felt personally victimized by Louis Cyphre?" Hariti asks.

Dahn's hand instantly goes up. The others look thoughtful, before Hitoshura also raises his hand.

Langdon shakes his head. "She was just strange, that's all."

"'She'... never mind. I have to agree - he was just sort of _there_ , in the bars." Kazuya hesitates. "...And he introduced me to my stalker again. But that didn't end up causing anybody any harm."

"Even after being insistent about me joining him... Considering what was at stake, I think he was very gracious in losing to me," Aleph comments. "He put up a hell of a fight, though. No pun intended."

"He dropped a magatama in my eye," Hitoshura says.

The rest of the group wince simultaneously. "I wonder if that hurts more or less than fusion...?" Kazuya asks no one in particular.

"More," Raidou answers. Being on closer terms with Victor has led him to ask more questions about the fusing process. "...Not much happened to me personally. Dahn is the one with the complaints."

Dahn slams his hand down on his chair. "I STARTED THE _APOCALYPSE_ BECAUSE OF HIM."

Raidou nods in confirmation.

Kazuya looks vaguely surprised. "Isn't that usually God's fault? Apocalypses, I mean."

"That's the kind of thing I'd expect more out of God," Aleph agrees.

"He's capable of it." Hitoshura doesn't seem too impressed by Dahn's outburst. "It's probably your fault that you were gullible enough to fall for it."

"Why, you...!" Dahn has to be physically restrained by Raidou to keep from attacking Hitoshura, which would clearly be a suicidal idea and also against the rules of group therapy.

"Calm down." Langdon's firm tones are enough to stop Dahn's struggling and allow Raidou to let go of him. "We're here for therapy, not to attack each other."

"Thank you, Langdon." Hariti smiles beatifically. Her teeth are very sharp. "Calling each other names will do us no good. I don't want to see that kind of behavior out of you again, Hitoshura. And I expect you to act responsibly in here, Dahn."

The two of them nod, and fall into very similar sulks.

"Now then. How are we to deal with this negative presence in our lives that we can't control?" Hariti asks.

Aleph raises his hand. "Dr. Hariti?"

"Oh, dear, I'm not a doctor, I'm just a demon. I haven't been licensed to do this at all," Hariti answers with another smile. "What is it?"

"Why can't we control his presence in our lives? I'm sure all of us-" He glances at Dahn. "-most of us have dealt with him or more powerful beings."

Hitoshura snorts. "When you killed God, you didn't really kill God, and when you killed Lucifer you didn't really kill Lucifer, or else the rest of us wouldn't have dealt with them, would we? They'll bother you if they feel like making your life worse and you can't do anything about it through fighting them."

"Oh." Aleph falls silent.

"Pessimism will get us nowhere." Hariti claps her hands together. "In this case, we should try not to allow him an in to our psyches. Please repeat after me. I will not be manipulated by strange blond men..."

"'I will not be manipulated by strange blond men..."

"Or women..."

"'Or women...'"


End file.
